Name: Shoshin Tokukami

Age: 50

Shoshin was born in Okinawa, in 1955, to a poor couple, Kari and Jun Tokukami, whom lived rough on the streets. They did not, however, allow that to stand in the way of bringing Shoshin up in the best way they could. When he was two years old, his father Kari made a deal with the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza, to get them all a home. In return, he would have to work for them until the debt was paid off. Unwilling to see his family homeless, Kari agreed, so they were able to get a good home, and Kari found a job in a local laundrette, looking after Shoshin as she worked.

When Shoshin was five years old, his father was involved in a shooting while working, and was killed. Kari was extremely upset, but managed to keep going because of Shoshin. Her parents, who had left her to fend for herself when she married Morita, took pity on her and accepted her back into their house. Kari found herself another job, and Shoshin was looked after by his grandparents.

While he grew up, his grandfather, Noriyuko, taught Shoshin how to fight and defend himself, just as Noriyuko had been taught by his father. Shoshin was a fast learner, and soon became good at martial arts.

Once Shoshin graduated from school, he took up a job teaching Okinawan martial arts, using the kata of Goju-Ryu, to young people, using the same methods that he had been taught. He was made an assistant at a dojo, and taught some students under the watchful eye of his grandfather.

When he was twenty, Shoshin was entered into The All Japan Tournament, which was one of the biggest tournaments in Japan. After many long fights, Shoshin was named first place winner, earning great honour for himself and his family.

When he did turn twenty-five, Shoshin?s family died in a fire which occurred during a storm that caused power lines to collapse onto their house. Shoshin survived, and Jun survived long enough to tell her son that she loved him. Their deaths affected Shoshin, and for the next five years, he lived in a single room in a friend?s house, trying to earn enough money to move away for good.

At the age of thirty, Shoshin moved to America, New York City, to be exact, and started his own dojo there. While there, he met David Jackson, the lawyer who helped him to get his visa for him to live there. Shoshin became firm friends with David, and when David?s son Carter was born, Shoshin became Carter?s godfather. David and his wife Julia then moved to San Francisco in order to start up their own law firm, and Shoshin stayed in New York. Sadly, when Carter was seven, David and Julia were killed in a car accident. It had been their wish that is anything happened to them, Carter was to live with Shoshin, so that?s what happened. Shoshin took over David's?s house, and raised Carter, raising him as if he was his own son, although he never let him forget his real parents. He also taught Carter all of the techniques of Okinawan Karate that his grandfather taught him. When Carter turned 8, Shoshin adopted him, although he made sure that Carter kept the name of Jackson.

As Carter grew, Shoshin took pleasure in teaching him everything that he could, and they developed a deep respect for one another. Shoshin watched Carter grow, and was as proud of him as any father could be, and took great pleasure in developing his skills.

When Carter turned sixteen, Shoshin gave to him a sacred family heirloom, a pair of Sai that had been used by his ancestors many years ago. Carter treasured the Sai, and they remain his most treasured possession, although he doesn?t show many people them.

When Carter turned 18, Shoshin recieved a job offer from California, from the town of Starville, where he had been offered a job as Martial art's teacher. It was a job he happily accepted, and Carter and Shoshin moved to Starville, where Carter was enrolled in the school.